I have been struggling to feed my son more veggies. Like a lot of kids his age (he’s 2.5) they’d like to eat white rice or plain pasta, all day, everyday.
Pediatricians recommend the 5 food groups to be incorporated in every meal, but it can be unattainable with very picky eaters (not to mention the stress and exhaustion that comes during every meal time battle)
I’ve tried cutting veggies and bread into different shapes, different cuisines, sang songs, sat at the table to eat with him… it has all helped a little bit, but this recipe changed the game!
Double Happiness is a Malaysian company founded by Jocelyn and Larry, parents of two young kids who went through the same struggles as me.
This couple struggled to find clean, healthy and fun food for their children, so Jocelyn handmade pasta with 100% veggie puree, and thats when Double Happiness was formed!
This rainbow pasta is packed with nutrients from several different vibrant colored vegetables like beetroot, purple cabbage, carrot, and pumpkin. I’ve used this pasta along with some extra pureed veggies to make this white sauce a stealthy healthy one.
The Trick
Steaming and pureeing sweet corn and zucchini then adding it to my white sauce. You can use this vegetable puree trick in any dish, or with any sauce. You can also use different coloured veggies (whatever matches the colour of the dish) to pack it up with more nutrition for your child’s development.
Hope you find this recipe helpful! Oh, and don’t forget to use my discount code ‘theveggiewifeyeatshealthy’ for 5% off on your first purchase of Double Happiness Vegetable Pasta
Easy Toddler Recipe: White Sauce Pasta (with hidden veggies)
Equipment
- 1 Colander
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 sharp vegetable knife
- 2 spatulas
- 1 Whisk
- 1 small mesh strainer
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Pasta from Double Happiness
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
Sauce
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/3 cup full-fat milk
- 1/3 cup pasta water (from the pot of boiling pasta)
- 1/5 zucchini diced
- 2 sweet corn pieces sliced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose unbleached flour
Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp salt optional
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Using a baby steamer, steam and puree the zucchini and sweet corn. A good tip is once the steam setting has been completed, don't remove the water. Simply blend the vegetables right away. This helps blend the vegetables into a smooth puree rather than chopped steamed vegetables.
- Set this vegetable puree aside.
- In a saucepan, add the water, and set the heat up to high. Once the water reaches a bubbling boil, add the salt, and give it a good few stirs to dissolve it into the water. You can then add the Vegetable Pasta from Double Happiness and turn the gas down to medium heat. Keep checking the pasta to see if it is 90% cooked. This should take no longer than 15 minutes. Once the pasta is 90% cooked, scoop 1/3 cup of the pasta water and place it in a bowl.
- Using a colander, pour SOME of the pasta water out, and then let the cooked pasta sit in the remaining water until you're ready to use it. This prevents it from sticking together and losing it's absorbability for the sauce. This is why I say 90% cooked, because keeping the pasta in this water, cooks it further. You don't want to overcook your pasta!
- Now the easy part: in a frying pan over medium heat, add some oil (I use an oil with a high smoke point like avocado or macadamia)
- Sauté the shallots until golden brown
- Add the garlic and ginger, and sauté this until fragrant
- Add the milk, and seasoning. Stir this until it reaches a thicker consistency.
- Add the vegetable puree (sweet corn and zucchini), stir this in well.
- Add the pasta water, and let this cook for 5 minutes.
- Using the small mesh strainer, add the flour in and gently sift the flour onto the frying pan, whisking the flour into the sauce at the same time to avoid any clumps.
- Once your sauce has reached a thicker consistency, add your pasta (without the remaining pasta water) and gently mix it all in!
- Garnish this with the mozzarella cheese and serve warm!